Get an Emergency Supply Kit, which includes items like non-perishable food, water, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries. You may want to prepare a portable kit and keep it in your car in case you are told to evacuate.

Make a Family Emergency Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.

Plan to Protect Property. Hurricanes cause heavy rains that can cause extensive flood damage in coastal and inland areas. Flood insurance is the only way to financially protect your property or business from flood damage. Learn more at floodsmart.gov.

Cover all of your home's windows with pre-cut plywood or hurricane shutters to protect your windows from high winds.

Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.

Keep all trees and shrubs well trimmed so they are more wind resistant.

Secure your home by closing shutters, and securing outdoor objects or bringing them inside.

Be Informed. The first and most important thing anyone should do when facing a hurricane threat is to use common sense.

FEMA CHECKLIST

Water, one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation.

Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food per person.

Battery-powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, and extra batteries for both.

Identify an out-of town contact. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.

Be sure every member of your family knows the phone number and has a cell phone, coins, or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact. If you have a cell phone, program that person(s) as "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) in your phone. If you are in an accident, emergency personnel will often check your ICE listings in order to get a hold of someone you know. Make sure to tell your family and friends that you've listed them as emergency contacts.

Teach family members how to use text messaging. Text messages can often get around network disruptions when a phone call might not be able to get through.

Subscribe to alert services. Many communities/states now have systems that will send instant text alerts or emails to let you know about severe weather, road closings, local emergencies, etc. In Connecticut, go to www.ct.gov/ctalert to register for alerts.